By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday March 6, 2020

 

Elina Svitolina stopped 17-year-old Leylah Fernandez and Johanna Konta saved 2 MPs to reach the semis in Monterrey.

Photo Source: AP

Elina Svitolina methodically took care of a task that has proven very difficult in WTA circles over the last month: defeating 17-year-old fast-riser Leylah Fernandez.



The Ukrainian notched a 6-4 7-5 victory over the Canadian southpaw to book a spot in the last four at the Abierto Seguros GNP, thanks to a clutch performance that saw her save all five break points she faced across the one hour and 38 minute contest.

“I think it was a really good level,” Svitolina told the crowd after the match. “It was a good match. I was trying to be really positive because I know that Leylah can play really good tennis. I had to be on my feet.”

Svitolina has turned her momentum around in Mexico to move two victories from a fourteenth career title. She entered on a three-match and six-set losing streak and has now won all six sets she has played in Monterrey.

The World No. 7 rallied from triple break point down at 2-3 in the second set, saving four break points in the game, many with courageous shotmaking, to keep Fernandez at bay. The Canadian kept up the chase but began to wilt a bit near the finish line as the steady Svitolina showed now signs of cracking under the pressure.

Svitolina broke at love for 6-5 before serving the match out. She will face either Arantxa Rus or Rebecca Peterson next.

“I stayed positive and clear with my gameplan,” she said of the win.

KONTA'S GREAT ESCAPE

Johanna Konta had to dig even deeper against another formidable teenager to keep her hopes alive in Monterrey but the British No.1 came through under extreme pressure, saving a pair of match points to push past 18-year-old Anastasia Potapova 6-7(6) 6-3 7-6(7).

This was a brilliant encounter between two aggressive player that pushed one another to the limit, and it was nearly a massive victory for the World No.89 Russian.

Konta saved a first match point at 3-5 in the third set and Potapova will likely remember this one bitterly for a while. After a big first serve she had the chance to put away a sitter from the midcourt but ended up playing it too safe as Konta stole the point with some great reactionary tennis.

The Russian, to her credit, kept battling and found herself holding another match point with Konta serving in the third set tiebreaker after saving two match points of her own.

Konta didn’t miss with her serve, however, and claimed an 8-7 lead with back to back beauties.

The World No.16 converted the victory on the next point to book a semifinal clash with Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic. The 21-year-old defeated eighth-seeded Wang Yafan 6-2 7-5.